Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-10
The Mormon Jurors.

Our dispatches this morning state
that the Mormon jurors at Salt Lake
city, Utah, who last Monday took the
oath prescribed by the Ejmunds-Tucker
law, refused yesterday to recognize its
binding force for the reason that the
law of God is higher than the law of
man.
This looks as II the Mormons intend to
resist the Edmunds- Tucker law and try
their strength with the Federal authori-
ties. 1t is time that the government
recognized the fact that the Mormons do
not intend to give up polygamy
unless forced to do SO. They have re-
sisted, and successfully too, every at
tempt that has been made to destroy
their peculiar institution. In the
face OF hostile public sentiment, and in
spite of stringent laws against it, poly ga
my has spread until it has strong foot
hold in other Territories than Utah. This
condition OF affairs is largely due to the
halt-hearted way in which the anti-po.
lygamy laws have been enforced and to
the ineficiency Of the officials intrusted
with their administration.
A prominent lawyer in Washington,
who is counsel for the Mormons, is re-
ported to have said few days ago that
the Edmunds-Tucker law had "widened
the breach between the Mormons and the
country" de thinks that instead OF pass
ing the Edmuuds-Tucker law the Nor
mons should have been permitted to form
State constitution and settle for them
selves the question whether or not they
would have polygamy in Utah. What
this lawyer thinks about the matter oan-
not possibly influence any one who is in
terested in having polygamy checked and
| destroyed. II Utah were to be admitted
as a State with such constitution as the
Mormons would frame, pOlygamy would
become SO firmly fastened upon the cOun-
| try That it would be next to impossible
| to get rid Of it. No one believes that the
Mormons, If they were given the chance,
would frame State constitution which
would prohibit polygamy. When framing
| an instrument of that sort they would
say, as the Mormon jurors said yester-
day. that God recognizes polygamy, and
lhey would make that their excuse for re-
cogniZing it in State constitution.
What the government must do, if it
wants to avoid great trouble in the near
future, is to take hold of this Mormon
evil with a firm hand and put an end to
it as quickly as possible. The people of
this country will never consent that it
shall flourish without let or hindrance in
any territory OF which they have control.
The cutlery against it will become strong
er as they get closer to it, and finally there
will be a resort to force to accom- plish
what law has been trying unsuccesstully
so long to do.
The Mormons have no legitimate de-
fense OF polygamy. They have known
since their church was first formed that
it is prohibited by the laws OF the land.
Instead of going to Utah they might have
sought place where they could cherish
their peculiar institution unmolested.
They chose rather to locate themselves
within the jurisdiction of the United
States, and now, If they are forced 10 give
up one Of the strongest features OF their
church they have no one to blame but
themselves. The Edmunds-Tucker law
should be vigorously and strictly en-
forced, even If it requires the entire army
TO do 1t.